The Treetop Chalet

09/12/2024

😮 pray for our mountains 🙏

News Release—The Flint Gap Fire, which was started by lightning on Aug. 26, continues to burn slowly in a remote area of the park primarily in undergrowth in steep terrain.

The fire is estimated to be roughly 28 acres and is not contained. The fire has grown minimally over the last several days due to weather conditions (high humidity and lack of strong winds) and shaded terrain. Increased smoke has been visible this week due to an inversion lifting and the relative humidity decreasing. Some rain is expected this weekend which will likely slow, but not extinguish the fire due the dense tree canopy and thick layer of duff (buildup of leaves and plant material) in this area.

While there has been minimal growth on the fire to date, the acreage may increase as weather conditions change with the coming of fall. Park management and the fire incident management team are implementing a strategy to safely and effectively suppress the fire, given that it is burning in very steep, backcountry terrain with dense tree cover. It currently takes firefighters more than two hours on foot to reach the fire from either Parsons Branch Road or from Abrams Creek and there are no options to create a helispot or options that would allow for quickly evacuating firefighters in case of injury. Park management is developing options to mitigate these safety concerns and to help transport firefighters and equipment more efficiently to the backcountry.

Resources on the fire include ground crews and a Type 3 helicopter. Park management is ordering more resources; however, many resources are currently in use given the number of active wildfires, particularly out west.

Full news release: go.nps.gov/FlintGapFireSept11

NPS Photo

06/18/2024

06/16/2024

I for one am definitely going to be there! Don’t miss out!

05/23/2024

Bloom! There it is!

May is when you will likely find the greatest number of species in bloom at Saguaro National Park. Specifically, the saguaro cactus is often in peak bloom toward the end of May. Saguaro flowers bloom for less than 24 hours. They open at night and remain open through the next day. They only have that very short time to attract a pollinators like bats. The whole saguaro, though, can produce many blooms throughout a season.

The flowers are a milky white, and emit a sweet nectar which attracts multiple species of bats. These bats feast on the flower nectar, and in process act as pollinators for the cactus. As the cactus produce fruit, the bats will start to eat the fruits, and in turn help spread the saguaro seeds across the desert. Only a few of these sees actually sprout, and even fewer grow to maturity.

Image: Blooms on an arm of a saguaro cactus at Saguaro National Park, AZ. NPS/JC

05/07/2024

Join the park side, you must, and may the force of nature be with you. Enjoy the beauty and history, you will. But follow the rules, you should. Safer in the national parks, you will be. Hmmmm.

P.S. If you’re off trail and too close to wildlife, you’re in Alderaan places. Make good choices, you must!

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/healthandsafety/trip-planning-guide.htm

04/25/2024

04/09/2024

Web on, web off.

Off please. We’ve all walked through a web. Here are a few tips to get through it: Well, you already went through it, but...

🕸️ Try to stay in the center of the trail. Webs are more likely to be found near bushes, trees, and other vegetation. Staying in the middle can help reduce the risk of walking into one.

🕸️ Use a stick. Wave a hiking stick or trekking pole in front of you as you walk to catch any webs before you walk into them. Let’s not go all Jedi Knight first day with a new lightsaber, but use it only as needed. Also, say you’re sorry. Manners.

🕸️ Wear a hat. Wearing a hat with a brim can help catch webs before they reach your face. If a spider decides to hitch a ride without notice, you have permission to cancel the ride and let them off at a convenient location without your star rating being affected.

🕸️ Walk slowly and carefully. Take your time while walking on the trail to avoid quickly running into webs, squirrels, bears, hikers, other dimensions—you name it.

🕸️ Avoid walking at dawn or dusk. Spiders are more active during these times, so consider hiking during the middle of the day to reduce the risk of encountering them. So, in essence, sleep in sometimes.

Image: Screenshot of tweet with text, “One does not simply become a master of karate. First, you must accidentally walk into a spider web.”

03/15/2024

03/15/2024

That’s a bird. There’s another. We’re getting good at this. 🐦

Whether you're casually taking note of your surroundings or traveling the nation in search of birds to add to your checklist, people of all ages can enjoy identifying birds by sight and sound.

When you start to take note of the birds around you, you might find yourself more perceptive of other things. You might notice sounds you previously overlooked. Did I just make a noise when standing up? You might start to notice small details in your surroundings, like individual trees, insects, fruits, or bears. You might even notice things about yourself, like your inexplicable love for cheesy puns or your impressive ability to trip over flat surfaces. In conclusion, birding can be a gateway hobby, leading you to recognize and appreciate a wider world that was there all along.

Wanna learn more about yourself? Cool. But this post is mainly about birds. Learn more about birding at: https://www.nps.gov/articles/birding-for-beginners.htm

Image: Screenshot of a National Park Service tweet with the text, “Me: “I’m an expert at identifying birds.” Friend: “OK, what about that bird over there?” Me: “Yep, it’s a bird.”

03/10/2024

Earthstar mushrooms, what even are they? We mean, they’re not like a “regular” mushroom, but a “cool” mushroom. It’s like they’re saying, ‘Oh, you thought you knew mushrooms? Well, hold my spores!’

Earthstars belong to a group called Gasteromycetes, or “stomach fungi”. Their fruiting bodies are a stomach-shaped sac filled with dry spores. Native to Earth, the earthstar begins as a pod, or bud, and bursts open (“blooms”) as it ages. Tastefully. As it opens, it forms a starlike pattern, hence, its name. It’s all coming together! Another aspect that contributes to the opening is water. The “petals” close in on themselves as they begin to dry out, but opens like a flower when the fungus is hydrated again. It’s got a whole ‘ta-da!’ moment when it opens, revealing its spore-filled center. It’s like a mushroom that’s been invited to the fungal Oscars and decided to show up in a fabulous gown made of dirt and leaves. Who are you wearing? Umm, it’s House of Gasteromycetes.

Finally, can you eat it? (You were thinking it.) While it is not considered toxic, they are considered to be inedible due to their hard, fibrous nature and bitter taste. I can’t believe you’re still bitter? It is.

Image: Closeup of an Earthstar mushroom with petals unfurled at Redwood National and State Parks (NPS), CA.

03/04/2024

What’s the first thing you think of when you see a snake? For many people, they ask themselves “Is it poisonous?” The answer to that question is no! Snakes are not poisonous, they are venomous. The term venomous is applied to an animal that bites or stings to inject the venom, whereas poisonous applies to something that unloads its poison when ingested, like eating a poisonous mushroom.

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park there are two venomous snakes. One is the Timber Rattlesnake and the other is the Northern Copperhead, which is the snake pictured. Remember that all wildlife in the park is protected, even the animals that are not fluffy and cute. Snakes are an important part of the ecosystem in the Smokies. Just like in your backyard at home, snakes help to control the rodent populations and provide an excellent food source for larger birds of prey. If you see a snake, make sure to keep your distance but also remember that they are part of the reason why the Smokies are so beautiful.

Photo Credit: Warren Bielenberg

03/04/2024

The early bird gets the face full of spiderwebs. Sleep in.

Take a hike. National parks offer many opportunities to hit the trail. Bring a friend. Maybe a tall friend, just saying.

Learn more about trails and hiking in parks at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/trails/index.htm

02/15/2024

that the Ole Smoky stage hosts FREE concerts almost daily?! 🎶

Check out the schedule here: https://islandinpigeonforge.com/hours-and-events-calendar/